Country Champions: Cumberland rides to victory over Kingsway in Tri-County Conference final

The Cumberland Regional High School boys’ basketball team celebrates its 40-37 win over Kingsway in the Tri-County Conference championship game at Washington Township High School in Sewell, New Jersey on Saturday, February 21, 2025. Kevin Emmons/South Jersey Sports Zone

SEWELL — Cumberland Regional High School boys’ basketball coach Lamont “Bup” Robinson played football at the University of Oklahoma.

The Sooner State and Cumberland County, New Jersey share similarities.

“Cumberland County and Oklahoma could go hand-in-hand,” Robinson said. “The boots will fit in either place. Cowboy country. We’re bringing that championship DNA to Cumberland County just like Oklahoma.

Boots?

Yep.

The second-year coach decided to wear cowboy boots on the sideline for the first round of the Tri-County Conference Tournament against Woodstown.

The result was a 54-32 triumph.

The boots had to stay.

Next came a 52-47 win against Delsea in a rubber match in the TCC Tournament quarterfinals.

Then Kaleb “Big Country” Green hit a buzzer-beater to lift the Colts to a 57-54 victory over Williamstown in the conference semifinals.

On Saturday, Cumberland edged Kingsway, 40-37, in the Tri-County Conference final at Washington Township High School in Sewell with Robinson on the sideline in the same boots.

“As we’ve grown and as we’ve progressed,” Robinson said, “we have done little markers just to celebrate our success. As a coach, I said it was time to put our cowboy boots on and go for this rough ride. We’ve been doing a heck of a job. It’s just something to celebrate our success and hopefully fire the boys up.”

The Colts extended their winning streak to six games and improved their record to 20-8.

D.J. Mosley recorded a steal with 18.4 seconds left on a sideline inbound by Kingsway to maintain a one-point advantage. Mosley was fouled and made both free throws to help seal the victory.

The Dragons were unable to score on their final possession.

“It was just a moment where we needed a defensive stop,” Mosley said. “I seen where his eyes went. I knew I could get it. I jumped (the passing lane) and we ended up winning.”

Mosley tallied a game-high 20 points. He scored 10 of the Colts’ first 12 points and helped establish a 18-15 lead at halftime.

Cumberland captured its first Tri-County Conference championship in school history.

“This a bigger than basketball moment,” Robinson said. “Our guys have worked their behinds off. Countless hours. … The energy from our fans, the cheerleaders, the administrative support. This has been a collective effort to get us to this point.”

Cumberland surrendered the lead four times and regained it each time. Czar Witherspoon gave Kingsway a 37-35 advantage with 3:11 left. The Dragons were held scoreless for the rest of the contest.

Mosley cut the deficit to a point on a free throw with 2:17 left before Green drained a smooth left-handed hook shot to seize the advantage.

“We just play with a chip on our shoulders,” Mosley said.

Witherspoon led Kingsway with 12 points. J.D. Johnson and Matteo Morini finished with seven points apiece.

The Dragons’ largest lead was a 23-18 margin in the third quarter. Neither team led by more than six.

“Unfortunately we didn’t shoot the ball well,” Kingsway coach Brian Kuzmick said. “We had a lot of open looks especially in the first half that didn’t drop. Too many 50-50 plays that they made and we didn’t. Great atmosphere. It was fun to be a part of. We got to bounce back.”

The Dragons host Rancocas Valley in the first round of the South Jersey Group 4 playoffs on Tuesday.

When Robinson inherited the program, the Colts had finished with a 2-22 record the year before.

Now, Cumberland has 20 wins under its belt and hosts Toms River East in the opening round of the South Jersey Group 3 playoffs on Wednesday.

“We’re real confident,” Mosley said. “I wouldn’t want to be the team we play in the first round. Best of luck. We’re loooking to find success from here.”